A New Life
by Charlie McKay
Summary: What happens when Christine changes her mind after she and Raoul escape in the Phantom's boat and decides to go back? Will love blossom between the two Angels of Music or will The Music of the Night be lost forever? E/C
1. Chapter 1

**Ok here we go! I finally got around to writing a POTO fanfic! YEAH! I'm a big fan of E/C, but I don't hate Raoul even though I make him out to be a jerk at the beginning of my story. I PROMISE he will regain his honor by the end of this tale! Please please PLEASE remember to review guys! If no one reviews this story then I 100% will NOT continue the story (as much as that would pain me) so if you like it, Review and say so! One person! That's all it takes! Anyway... hope you enjoy this!**

**A New Life**

Chapter 1: Change of Heart

As Raoul and Christine fled the Phantom of the Opera's lair down a secret waterway he previously used to return Christine to her dressing room a more direct way, Christine looked over her shoulder and saw the broken expression on the man's face. _What have I done?_ _He gave me everything that made me who I am and I denied him! What HAVE I done? I can't just leave him like this, not after all we've been through, not after that kiss. _What was she saying? Wasn't this the man who had kidnapped her just now? Hadn't he been taking advantage of her youth by pretending to be some heavenly being? _NO. _A voice in her head responded. _Look into your heart and find what you truly think of this man._ She reflected on this for a moment. He had always been protecting her from harm, since her father had died. He was her teacher and her Angel of Music, but most of all, he was... She gasped as she finally understood what the voice in her head had meant. _I love him._

Upon realizing her true feelings for the man she was leaving behind, Christine gasped and felt her eyes well up with tears. She took her hand from Raoul's shoulder and held it to her mouth. She began shaking as the tears ran hot down her face once more. Raoul, hearing her gasp and following tears, stopped and turned around quickly to face her.

"Christine?" He asked in alarm, "What is it? Are you hurt?"

He looked her up and down and lifted her arms up to examine them and the rest of her exposed flesh. Nothing seemed to be amiss.

"Christine answer me!" He demanded worriedly, "What's wrong?"

As Raoul looked into her eyes, Christine saw the love and worry etched in them and began crying more forcefully and pressed her face into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and patted her soothingly, resting his cheek against her hair.

"Shhh," he crooned, "it's alright now Christine, I'm here."

Christine hiccuped and tried to speak but only resulted in a sort of strangled cry coming out.

"I-I-I'm s-s-soo sor-r-ry..." she sobbed.

Raoul pulled away from her and looked at her, shocked, "What? Christine, you have no reason to be sorry!" He insisted.

"I h-have to go back Raoul," she said, her voice becoming more steady as her tears began to subside. "I have to go back."

Raoul looked at her like she was going crazy.

"Christine what are you talking about?" He began slowly, "We've only just barely managed to escape and now you want to go _back_? Was it not enough for you that I nearly died for you _once?" _He asked rather coldly.

Christine flinched inwardly as his words cut her heart.

"Raoul, I can't leave him so alone." She almost whispered.

"He's a MONSTER Christine! He deserves to be alone!" Raoul exploded, throwing his arms up in the air, "Why should you care anyway?" He asked with a sneer, "just a moment ago you were hurrying to leave!"

Christine turned away from him as if slapped. He was right, what if the Phantom thought the same thing? What if he killed her when she got back? _Then it would be no more than I deserve after hurting him so deeply._ She told herself. She just had to try.

Christine drew herself up to her full height and looked Raoul in the eye as she spoke.

"He is NOT a monster." Christine began, stabbing her finger into Raoul's chest. Very suddenly she began to wonder what she had ever seen in this man standing before her now.

"I have made a horrible mistake Raoul," she said with her eyes downcast, "I made the wrong choice and now I must go back and beg his forgiveness."

Raoul just stared at her, mouth agape.

"What are you _saying_ Christine?" He asked darkly. "Are you telling me that you actually wish you had chosen tha-tha-that that THING? Over me?"

They were toe to toe now and it was only too easy for Christine to reach her hand up and slap him in the face.

"You go too far Raoul," she whispered threateningly, "he is NOT a thing, HE is more of a MAN than you will ever be."

Raoul was holding his face in shock when Christine made her final decision.

"Good-bye Monsieur de la Vicomte." She spat, and jumped off the boat while Raoul was still standing there dumbfounded.

Suddenly a rumble sounded from above and the ceiling collapsed, raining stone and dust down right where Christine had just been standing. She was effectively separated from Raoul by the impassible pile of rock, and she took it as a sign from heaven that she had made the right choice by turning back.

As Christine half waded, half swam through the chest high water, she knew that she had to hurry if she wanted to catch the Phantom before he was gone forever. She knew that she would not beat the angry mob before it descended on his lair, for the voices had been close when she and Raoul had boarded the boat, but she prayed to God that he had managed to escape them. Suddenly, the stone bottom of the waterway she was plowing through dropped out from under her and Christine was swept under the surface. Her dress was very heavy, and she struggled to kick her way back to the surface before she ran out of air. She kicked furiously and soon was able to breach the surface of the water. Christine gasped and swam back to where she could touch the bottom. She knew she would never be able to swim through that wearing the heavy wedding dress. Christine suddenly had an idea, if she could manage to hold herself up out of the water by holding onto the small ledge on either side of the water, she should be able to make it through that section without having to struggle to swim.

Christine pushed back her sopping wet hair out of her face and quickly grabbed onto the ledge to her right. She began shimmying her way down the passageway, succeeding in keeping herself from sinking to the bottomless depths of this particular channel by hanging from the ledge. The going was slow, as she often had to stop to rest due to the added weight of the saturated fabric._ Obviously this dress was not designed to be swam in._ Christine chuckled to herself and once again continued her quest back to the lair.

A few feet later, Christine decided to test the depth of the channel, knowing full well that it was unlikely the same depth remained all the way through. She hoped that she would be able to pull herself back up if the water was still too deep, or she would be lost to the fathomless depths of this channel before she could even blink. Christine slowly lowered herself into the water more and was relieved when she felt solid ground when the water reached her neck. The rest of the way back, Christine clung to the wall in case she should once again fall into a deeper pool of water.

After ten more minutes of wading through the icy water, Christine could finally begin to make out the portcullis ahead of her and she urged her tired limbs to move faster. When she reached the great gate, she was relieved to find that it was still open. She cautiously walked through the mouth of the lair, making sure she avoided the deep pool in the middle of the water. When Christine stepped onto the stone floor of the lair she had so recently vacated, she collapsed, utterly spent from wading through so much water wearing the heavy dress.

**Well that's the first chapter! Remember, if you don't review then I won't continue posting the story so please let me know what you think! Thanks for reading guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Ok everyone! Got one review so I'm keeping my promise and continuing the story! I expect to hear from more people with reviews now! Forgot to say at the beginning of the last chapter, I DO NOT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS! THEY BELONG TO ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER AND GASTON LEROUX! AND I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONGS I USED, THOUGH I CHANGED THE LYRICS A BIT TO FIT MORE WITH MY STORY, THEY BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPOSERS/SINGERS :-) Thanks again guys and I really hope you enjoy this next chapter! REVIEW! **

**A New Life**

Chapter 2: A Waiting Game

Christine laid there on the stone trying to recover the strength to go in search of the Phantom, but she was simply exhausted and didn't think she could go any further in the thoroughly soaked wedding gown. She lay thinking for a moment and then remembered that she had changed out of her Don Juan costume earlier and left it in the alcove where the mannequin was, so she decided to go see if it was still there or if it had been claimed by the mob.

She eased herself up off of the floor, almost falling again when her foot caught on the hem of the dress, and began climbing the stairs that led up to the organ platform. Christine was careful not to disturb any of the music sheets laying on the floor as she lifted the dress to keep from ruining the Phantom's unfinished compositions scattered about. Finally, Christine made it to the alcove and paused to lean against the wall and catch her breath. She was relieved to find that her costume lay in the same place she had left it earlier that night. Christine began removing her current garment, but the going was slow as she had no one to help her unlace her corset or help her remove the dense outer layer of skirts and petticoats.

When she had finally managed to strip away all of her wet clothing, Christine was standing stark naked in the middle of the alcove. She blushed and hoped that the Phantom was not around to see her embarrassing display. As quick as she could, Christine once more donned her scandalous Don Juan costume and sighed in relief when she found that she could walk unhindered once more. She picked up a black ribbon she found laying on the floor beside the mannequin and tied back her hair that she had wrung out as best she could before changing her clothes. Christine exited the alcove and began searching the lair for any sign of the Phantom. She gasped when she finally noticed the broken mirrors, and she knelt down in front of the last one and hid her face in her hands. Whether or not the mob had done this, she didn't know, but the broken glass lay there on the floor as a sharp reminder of the pain she had put him in upon leaving with Raoul.

Christine picked up a shard of glass and stared at her reflection for a moment, wondering how how she could ever have become so heartless? As she moved to place the glass back on the floor, something caught her eye in the reflection. She turned around and noticed a closed curtain behind where she sat. Carefully avoiding the broken glass as she stood up, Christine approached the curtain. She couldn't remember this curtain being there before. As she examined the mysterious covering, she saw a speck of green peak out from the bottom of the fabric. Christine pulled the curtain back hesitantly, half expecting something to jump out at her from the darkness, and gasped.

Before her was a long dark tunnel that seemed to lead into the very depths of the earth. Christine looked down and saw the green she had first noticed at the bottom of the curtain. There, on top of the remnants of the glass from the third and final mirror, lay the red rose with the black ribbon. A tear ran down her cheek, her final performance had been the only one that he had not given her a rose. Now she fully understood exactly what she had done to him. He was going to give the rose to her when she consented to marry him, but instead he sent her away. Here was that same rose laying on the floor of what she assumed to be the tunnel he took to escape. He had left her behind. Christine knelt down on the floor, picked up the rose, pressed it against her tear stained cheek and began to sing.

_Did I disappoint you or let you down? I'm feeling guilty, letting the judges frown. For I saw the end before we'd begun, yes I saw you'd given in and I knew I had won. So I took my leave by eternal right. Took your soul out into the night. It may be over but it won't stop there, I am here for you if you'd only care. You touched my heart you touched my soul. You changed my life my dear angel. And love is blind and that I knew when, my heart was blinded by you. I've kissed your lips and held you close. Shared your dreams and shared your bed. I know you well, I know your voice. I've been addicted to you. Goodbye my angel. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been the one for me. Goodbye my angel. Goodbye my friend. You have been the one. You have been my only love._

As Christine sang, her tears fell steadily onto the glass covered floor and moistened the petals of the rose. She closed her eyes and poured her heart out to the darkness and crying for her lost angel. When her song ended, Christine opened her eyes and let the last note hang in the air; she couldn't bear to let the moment die. Suddenly a voice sounded faintly in the depths of the tunnel.

_Christine...Christine..._

Christine, her head previously bowed, snapped her head up in the direction of the voice. Could it be that he had not gone after all? There was only one way to know for sure. She sang.

_Angel or father? Friend or Phantom? Who is it there staring?_

The voice did not reply. Christine was desperate to know if she had been imagining hearing his voice, and so she tried again, pleading with the darkness to answer her.

_ Angel of music I denied you, turning from true beauty. Angel of music, my protector, can you forgive me Angel?_

Still the voice did not answer her.

"Please..." Christine whispered, her voice breaking, "please..."

She felt the tears start again as she wrapped her arms around herself and rocked back and forth on the stone floor.

"No..." she choked.

Quietly at first, but growing in volume gradually, a voice came through the darkness as the mist.

_I gave you my music, made your song take wing, and now, how've you repaid me? Denied me and betrayed me..._

The voice broke on the last line, but Christine had heard and quickly stood up. With eyes wide, and heart swelled with emotion, Christine began to sing once more.

_Angel I hear you, speak, I listen, stay by my side, guide me, Angel my soul was weak forgive me, come to me dear Angel._

Christine waited patiently, listening attentively for any sign of movement or a reply. Within moments she began to hear footsteps. She took a step forward and strained her eyes into the darkness when suddenly he appeared there before her, still mask-less. His face broke her heart, he was expressionless but she could see the deep pain etched in his eyes.

"Christine."

**Well there you go! You had all better thank GigiMusic for reviewing the last chapter or nobody would have seen this chapter :-) THANK YOU GIGIMUSIC! I really hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Thanks again for reading guys and I'll get started on chapter 3 the minute I see a review! Happy Holidays!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I know it took forever to get this chapter up, and I appreciate the patience for those of you who have been waiting a while. I've been back in college for a few weeks now and things have been hectic, but I finally found time to write the anticipated third chapter! I'll tell you, its rather short but I promise the next chapter will be longer and it won't be so long in coming. Keep in mind, I still don't own the rights to any of the songs I use or any of the characters, or the Phantom of the Opera itself. I WILL BE SURE TO CITE WHAT SONGS I USED AT THE END OF THE STORY AND THEIR ARTISTS SO PEOPLE CAN LOOK THEM UP IF THEY WANT! But for now enjoy chapter 3 and please continue to review!**

**A New Life**

Chapter 3: Reconciliation

_Christine._

The sound of his voice lingered as the two stood, staring at one another in the silence. Christine's eyes grew wide and she opened her mouth as if to say something and then simply fell, sobbing at her angel's feet.

"I-I'm so s-sorry," she choked, "I-I n-never meant to h-hurt you, p-please..."

The phantom stared at the woman he once loved, begging and crying at his feet on the glass strewn ground. It broke his heart to see her cry like this, but he couldn't get his hopes up, not yet. He had to be sure that this wasn't another trick.

"What are you doing here, Miss. Daae?" He asked coldly.

His words stung bitterly, and Christine looked up at him with eyes wide and glossy with tears.

"I-I, I came back to find you!" She replied pleadingly, "The moment I left with him I realized how grave a mistake I had made! How cruel of me it was to abandon the man who raised me, who taught me everything I know, the man I love, on some childhood dream."

Christine reached for his hand as she spoke, and held it in her own as she poured all of her regret and love through the contact between their bodies. As she spoke, at first he had no obvious response but when she called him the man she loved his eyes widened in shock. When she took his hand, he looked down in disbelief as she began singing to him as he'd often dreamed she some day would.

_Here I am, this is me, there is no where else on Earth I'd rather be. Here I am, it's just me and you, tonight we'll make our dreams come true. It's a new world, it's a new start, it's alive with the beating of young hearts. It's a new day, it's a new plan, I've been waiting for you, here I am._

As she finished singing, a single tear ran down his cheek. Christine stood up and wiped the tear away and smiled slightly as she cupped the scarred side of his face in her hand.

"I love you, Angel, I'll never leave you again." She whispered.

Then she was kissing him, tenderly wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her body against his as he responded to her lips. She would never forget his taste as she kissed his soft lips and inhaled his scent; candle wax, parchment, and a distinctly male scent that she could only identify as his natural musk. Hesitantly she moved her tongue into his mouth and carefully coaxed him into her own mouth, he wrapped his strong arms around her tightly and she prayed he would never let her go. But he did, all too soon.

The two lovers stood, gazing into each others eyes, for a moment and then he reached up and brushed the tear tracks from her face.

"Christine you came back." He stated simply.

She smiled and pressed herself into his chest while he, once again, wrapped his arms around her and rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"Yes I did, and I'm never leaving you again... that is unless you've realized you don't want me anymore?" She asked hesitantly, pulling away from him to read his face, there was no sign of the coldness she had witnessed earlier but she could still see the trace of pain in the dark depths of his eyes. He looked down upon her in shock and then crushed her to him.

"I could never not want you Christine, you are my every reason for living."

With that the two kissed again, but Christine faltered this time and pulled away. Her angel looked confused as she held her hand to her head and her eyes fluttered rapidly.

"Angel I-" She began, but didn't have a chance to finish as everything faded to black around her and her legs gave out beneath her.

"Christine, NO!" Was the last thing she heard before unconsciousness overtook her, his arms catching her just she hit the ground.

**Well, what'd everyone think? Chapter 4 should be up pretty soon but I can't say exactly when, just that I'm working on it :-) Please review and let me know how you think this chapter went! Thanks everyone! Happy Valentine's Day!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Before you say anything, I know it's been like forever since I updated this story, but I was really busy with finishing up my first year of college and then after that I suppose I just lacked inspiration. However, I recently got a review from someone and their comment made me realize that I couldn't leave this story unfinished; especially with how much I hate it when other authors do that. Anyway... here's chapter 4, I hope all of you who were following it before still come back to read it. I don't know for how long it will go on but I promise to try my hardest to finish! As always I DO NOT OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA OR ANY OF THE SONGS I USE IN THIS STORY, THEY ALL BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE COMPOSERS/SINGERS/SONGWRITERS! Also, I know I was going to cite the songs/artists at the end of the story, so I'll try my best to remember which ones I use ;-) The rating I think may be changed to T soon as I really don't fancy getting graphic on you all haha! Anyway, enjoy!**

**A New Life**

Chapter 4: Apologies and Confessions

"_Christine, NO!"_

He caught her as she fell, making sure not to let any part of her hit the floor. As the Phantom scooped Christine up into his arms, he couldn't help but feel a sense of deja vu as he carried her into the alcove where the swan bed rested, and gently lay her down on the velvety covers. He felt her pulse, it was weak but regular and he hoped that she would come to after she had rested for a while.

Christine was lost in the quiet of her mind as the darkness overcame her and she fell unconscious into her Angel's arms. The voice in her head cursed her for not resting a bit before she had went in search of the Phantom, now he was sure to be worried over her. _At least I managed to tell him I love him before I fainted,_ she told the voice, _he probably would have just let me fall to the floor if I hadn't. True,_ the voice conceded, _but do you really think he will trust you so easily after all that's been dealt him in his life? I know, _Christine sighed, _somehow I have to make him see that I really do love him...but how?_ _Stupid girl, _the voice berated her,_ how do you think?_ But Christine never had a chance to answer, as suddenly the darkness surrounding her gave way to a bright light that grew until she opened her eyes to see her Angel staring down at her.

As Christine opened her eyes, the Phantom sighed in relief, "You are alright," he breathed, "I was worried, that perhaps the strain of seeing me had caused you to swoon."

Christine's vision came into focus, and she was exasperated to see that he had put his mask back on. She reached up to remove it, but he pushed her hand away.

"No, Christine, you will never be forced to look at my ugliness ever again," he stood up and straightened his shirt, "in fact," he continued, "now that you seem to be yourself again, I shall take you back to the surface as I am sure your _fiancee_ will be quite worried about you." He spoke the word fiancee as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, Christine was shocked at his words. He offered her his hand but she pushed it away.

"No! You will not take me back to him because I have only just managed to get away!" She almost yelled, "Did you think that my words and actions before I fainted were only a result of dizziness?"

She stared into his eyes and, as she spoke she watched the flicker of emotions there change from anger to sorrow and finally settle on confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a wave of her hand.

"Well let me tell you something, Monsier Opera Ghost!" He flinched as she addressed him by the name given to him by the theater troupe.

"I have not now, nor have I ever been the type of girl to tell a man I love him lightly!" She continued, lowering her voice so that she was no longer scolding, but gently reminding.

"So when I told you I loved you, it was not because I was delirious and about to faint," a slight smile played across his lips as she spoke, "it was because I truly _do _love you, my Angel of Music."

"Erik." He said, sitting down on the bed next to her.

"What?" Christine asked, confused.

"My name is Erik, Christine." He replied.

Christine smiled, glad that he had chosen to share with her his given name; perhaps he would come to trust her after all.

"It's beautiful," Christine replied, gently bringing her hand up to cup the masked side of his face, "..Erik.." she cooed.

The muscles in his face visually relaxed at her touch, and he leaned into her hand.

"Christine..." he sighed, "I love you."

"And I love you, Erik, ALL of you." She replied, slowly curling her fingers under the edge of his mask and removing it.

He flinched and made to cover his face with his hand, but Christine only smiled and gently took the hand in hers and brought it to rest over her heart.

"Erik, I want you to feel my heart beat when I look at you," she said, pointedly looking at the marred side of his face, "do you feel my heartbeat quicken as in fear?" She asked him gently.

He couldn't believe that she was allowing him to place his hand in such an intimate place on her, and he struggled to focus on Christine's questions. The feel of her creamy skin beneath the calluses of his fingers made a shiver run down his spine, his gaze dropped as he focused on the gentle rhythm of her heartbeat against his palm; it was slow and even.

"Now look at me, Erik," Christine prompted.

He looked up to meet Christine's gaze, he had always found her eyes to be her most redeeming feature, aside from her voice of course, their deep chocolate brown color never failed to captivate him.

"I want you to listen to me closely, Erik," Christine continued, "If you cannot believe the words I speak, perhaps you will find more faith in those that I sing."

_If I could turn back time, if I could find a way, I'd take back those words that hurt you and I'd stay. I don't know why I did the things I did, I don't know why I said the things I said. Pride's like a knife, it can cut deep inside, words are like weapons they wound sometimes. I didn't ever mean to hurt you, I didn't really want to go. I know I made you cry, but Angel if I could turn back time, if I could find a way... I'd take back those words that had hurt you and I'd stay. If I could reach the stars, I'd give them all to you, then you'd believe I love you, love you like the way I do... If I could turn back time..._

Christine put all of her feelings of love into her song, as well as her overwhelming desire to apologize to the man she loved for her past wrongs, and sang to her Angel of Music with all her voice. When she finished, there were tears in both of their eyes as Erik closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Christine. She cried softly as he held her close, hoping he finally understood just how much he meant to her.

"Please forgive me, Erik," she said softly.

_I didn't ever mean to hurt you, I never meant to leave you alone, I'm sorry I made you cry, but oh...If I could turn back time..._

"I love you Erik, and I promise never to leave you again." Christine said and she pulled out of his embrace to kiss him again.

Erik returned the kiss and began to sing.

_Everyday I love you more and more, listen to my heart, can you heart it sing? Telling me to give you everything. Seasons may change, winter to spring, but I love you until the end of time. Come what may! Come what may! I will love you until my dying day!_

**Well I hope you all liked it! Please review and I will do my best to update in a timely fashion! Ideas on what you would like to see in the next chapter? Perhaps what's going on with our dear friend Raoul? Yes, no, maybe? Let me know and I'll take it into consideration! Special thanks to kettyhare for inspiring me to continue my story! If you are enjoying this right now, then you all owe him/her a HUGE thank you!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Alright everyone! Here it is! The much awaited next installment of my POTO fanfiction! Once again I must apologize for the length of time in between uploads, the past few weeks have been crazy what with moving back into college and couple weeks of classes and everything! Before that I simply could not bring myself to write another chapter because I knew it would come out terribly! As it is, I know this chapter is significantly shorter than the others, but I didn't plan for this story to be quite as long as it turned out and this will be the final chapter. Thank you once again to everyone who reviewed, you really got my butt in gear this time because I just couldn't bring myself to abandon you all! So please enjoy the tentative last chapter of A New Life! I DO NOT OWN ANY OF THE SONGS I USE IN THESE CHAPTERS, NOR DO I OWN PHANTOM OF THE OPERA OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS! THIS IS SIMPLY SOMETHING I HAVE WRITTEN FOR FUN!**

**A New Life**

Chapter 5: A Question Revisited

Sitting there with Erik, Christine could not have imagined a happier moment in her life. She had everything she ever could have wanted, she had her Angel of Music by her side once more and she knew that they would always be together no matter what. Christine suddenly became aware of something in her hand and looked down to see that she was still holding the rose from earlier. Erik's eyes followed her gaze down to her hand and he was surprised to see her holding the rose he had intended to gift her with after she chose him, he winced slightly at the memory of watching her go. His reaction was not missed by Christine and she moved her hand with the rose between them.

"These roses have always been my most treasured possessions, and it saddens me to think that I have not kept track of them better." Christine said, letting her gaze fall slightly.

Erik placed one hand over hers on the rose and the other he used to lift Christine's chin gently to look him in the eye, "It has never been about the roses, Christine, it has always been, and always _will_ _be_ about you."

Suddenly Erik took the rose out of her hand and kneeled at Christine's feet, beside the bed. Out of his pocket, he pulled the engagement ring that she had returned to him earlier. Christine's eyes grew wide and glassy as he sang, once more, their song.

_Say you'll share with me one love one lifetime, lead me save me from my solitude. Say you need me with you now and always...Christine.. that's all I ask of you._

There were tears in her eyes once again as Christine took the engagement ring from him and slid it onto her left ring finger. Erik stood from the floor, triumph in his expression and pulled her up with him. Together they completed their duet.

_Anywhere you go let me go too! Love me, that's all I ask of you!_

The two kissed with more fire than either had ever experienced, and soon they were forced to pull away to catch their breath. Christine placed her hand on Erik's chest and looked into his beautiful blue-green eyes and began to sing to him a song she had learned long ago, although she could not say from where.

_Some say love, it is a river, that drowns the tender reed. Some say love, it is a razor, that leaves your soul to bleed. When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long, and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong. Just remember, in the winter, far beneath the bitter snows, lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose._

"I know we have been through much, Erik" Christine said after finishing her song, "and that the pain I have caused you will not simply go away over night," she winced slightly as she admitted this last part, "but I _promise_ that, from now on, truly _there will never be a day that I won't think of you!"_ She sang to him the song that he had discovered he loved her during, and he took her face in his hands.

"I know Christine," Erik said, stroking her cheek softly with his thumb, "and I promise never to give you a reason not to."

They kissed again and both knew that somehow, they had gotten their 'happily ever after' after all.

**~The End~**


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